The mid-week return to Cold Fell for a four-race card saw 53 hounds turning out on the night.
This meeting was in aid of the Lakeland Trailhound Welfare so HTA officials said a massive thank you to everyone who supported on the night.
The seniors were first into action with a field of eight entered.
Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton was sent off as the favourite.
As the hounds passed the trail field a group of four forged a slight advantage.
Mel for Les and Graham Reid, and Ellie Napier; Sportsman for Willie and Craig Mark; Busy Again for Alan Blacklock and Croft Lass for Stanley, Carole and Sarah Jackson, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson were the leading quartet.
There was a small gap to Minnie Million for Joy, Brian and Cathy Lister.
Coming over the fell down the trod before the finish Mel was still leading the way from Busy Again and Croft Lass with Minnie Million and Sportsman in fourth and fifth.
As they showed on the finish Mel still had the lead but was denied the win by Busy Again who finished well to claim her second senior win.
Mel had to settle for second with Croft Lass finishing in third. Sportsman was fourth ahead of Minnie Million and the final ticket went to Cracking Artist for Bill and Pat Mellon, and Jack and Tina Airey.
The open pups went off with a field of 15 and Delta Fortune for Sarah and Baz Harper, and Hartley Robinson was favourite.
As the hounds went through the fell Delta Fortune was off to a flying start but a lemon and white hound in pursuit had punters unsure.
The general consensus was it was either Let It Be for Ruth and Charlie Dixon or Miss Becky for Glenis and Raymond Farren and Denise Bland with a small gap to Minnie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker in third.
When they appeared on the finish Delta Fortune had pulled away and finished well to claim his 20th puppy win of the season.
Litter mate Deggsy Moon for Tracey, Carolyn and Derick Hill finished well to claim second ahead of Tucker for Nicola McMaster and Anthony Skelton.
Minnie was fourth from Pied Piper for Tanya Satterthwaite while the final ticket went to Let It Be.
The open maidens trail was well supported with 20 taking part.
Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graham Little, and Ella and Kyle Gallacher was sent off as the favourite and as they went through the fell she was there with We Get By for Sarah White and Offspring for Stuart, James and Jacob Jeynes.
When they showed on the finish Jenny’s Chance and We Get By were having a good race before they went into the bottoms.
As they emerged and onto the finish Jenny’s Chance finished well to claim the win from Spring Return for Jenny Horn with Lucky Moon for Geoff Higgins in third.
We Get By had dropped back to fourth ahead of Offspring and Delta Scribble for Sarah and Baz Harper and Hartley Robinson.
The last race of the evening was for the open restricted with a field of 10 slipped.
Lily for Barbara Jones was sent off the favourite but as they went through the fell Blue Striker for Brian and Erin Rowlandson and Billy Birkett was heading the race from Swamp Fox for Tanya Sattherwaite.
However as they showed on the finish, it was favourite and course specialist Lily who finished well to win from the fast finishing Summer Spirit for Willie and Craig Mark.
Blue Striker was third and Swamp Fox fourth with kennel mates Flecky Jack and Tesla taking the last two tickets for Donna, Shaun, Becky and Luke Hetherington.
Ings
Thursday saw a return to Ings where there was good prize money but it shows that big cash incentives don’t always attract the hounds.
There was only a small field of three in the seniors and as they came onto the finish Miterdale Dusk finished the best of the trio and just snatched the win on the line for Sophie Steele. Huntsman’s Time finished in second for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little with Huntsman’s Quirk finishing in third also for Denise and co.
The pups followed on and again with a field of four hounds.
Once back on the finish the hounds made hard work of it with Zoya for Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham showing first and looking like she was going to win only to let Huntsman’s Unite come past her and then in the end it was Miterdale Wow for Sophie Steele who ended up winning making it a double at this stage with one race left to go.
Zoya claimed second place with Huntsman’s Unite in third place. Zaya also for Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham finished in fourth.
The open restricted race was next with just six runners and as they showed at the business end it was a better finish with Miterdale Rambler coming from fourth to take the win from Monsoon in second place for Christine Brownlee.
Dream Catcher was in third for Joy and Brian Lister with Sophie and Katie Steele’s Miterdale Honesty in fourth place followed in by Christine Brownlee’s Malia.
Sophie had a great day bagging all three races and completing a hat-trick.
Cold Fell – August 6
- Hounds – 1. Busy Again; 2. Mel; 3. Croft Lass; 4. Sportsman; 5. Minnie Million; 6. Cracking Artist. 8 ran, time 30.10.
- Pups – 1. Delta Fortune; 2. Deggsy Moon; 3. Tucker; 4. Minnie; 5. Pied Piper; 6. Let It Be. 15 ran, time 18.36.
- Open Maiden – 1. Jenny’s Chance; 2. Spring Return; 3. Lucky Moon; 4. We Get By; 5. Off Spring; 6. Delta Scribble. 20 ran, time 19.21.
- Open Restricted – 1. Lily; 2. Summer Spirit; 3. Blue Striker; 4. Swamp Fox; 5. Flecky Jack; 6. Tesla. 10 ran, time 19.06.
Ings – August 7
- Hounds – 1. Miterdale Dusk; 2. Huntsman’s Time; 3. Huntsman’s Quirk. 3 ran, time 39.00.
- Pups – 1. Miterdale Wow; 2. Zoya; 3. Huntsman’s Unite; 4. Zaya. 4 ran, time 19.51.
- Open Restricted – 1. Miterdale Rambler; 2. Monsoon; 3. Dream Catcher; 4. Miterdale Honesty; 5. Malia. 6 ran, time 18.04.
